In many areas, police officers were the first to have dashboard cameras or dash cams installed in their vehicles, followed by delivery drivers. These days, there are dash cams in many passenger vehicles on the road in addition to state and commercial vehicles.
While some people are initially uneasy about the idea of installing a camera in their vehicle that records everything they do, many people recognize the benefits of dash cams and will gladly invest a few hundred dollars to reap those benefits.
What are the advantages of paying to install a dashboard camera in your vehicle?
You have proof of what happened before a crash
In the aftermath of a car wreck, a police officer often has to weigh the claims made by one driver against the statements of the other. Even when it is perfectly obvious that broke the law, possibly by texting at the wheel or running a red light, the other driver may try to deny their responsibility for your crash when a police officer arrives at the scene.
If there aren’t witnesses and the collision occurs someplace without traffic cameras, an officer will have to judge your statements and try to decide who was to blame for the wreck. When you have a dash cam installed in your vehicle, you don’t have to worry about anything the other driver says because you will have clear evidence of exactly what happened before the crash. You may even have a shot of the other driver running a red light or looking down at their phone as they slam into your vehicle.
The footage captured by your dash cam will help you prove that the other driver was to blame for your wreck and can also serve as evidence that you are not at fault if someone tries to make a claim against you following a major collision.
There could be insurance benefits
Depending on your insurance provider and other factors, you could potentially qualify for reduced insurance rates because of the dash cam in your car. For many drivers, the certainty that comes from knowing they can prove they are responsible drivers is the biggest advantage of investing in the dashboard camera.
Even if you do not have a camera installed in your vehicle at the time of a wreck, there may be other ways for you to prove who is to blame and get the insurance coverage or financial compensation you need to pay your bills. Knowing what protects you before and after a car crash can help you avoid financial losses if you ever experience a collision.
